Heat exchanger



Oct. 19, 1943. G, 5, MANTLE 2,332,450

HEAT EXCHANGER Original Filed June 6, 1940 3 SheetsSheet 1 3nventor 6QNani/e //L4%ziw/ (I ttorneg G. D. MANTLE HEAT EXCHANGER Oct. 19, 1943.

Original Filed June 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m n! I I 1 i n J a 7 f FIEr w) K. J a 2H. 9U 3 2. 2 P. ML/ vy 2 3 2.. .I nw J 6 5 9 M M i 7 10L M/1 w 7 Oct. 19, 1943. G; D. MANTLE 2,332,450

HEAT EXCHANGER Original Filed June 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 Zhwen or Wa. QMa/ir/e Gttorncg Patented Oct. 19, 1943 by mesne assignments, toGeneral Properties 7 Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware VSubstituted for abandoned application Serial No. 339,129, June 6, 1940.This application April 19, 1941, Serial No. 389,421.

a November 29, 1940 In Great Britain Claims. (01. 257-231) Thisapplication is a substitute for my application filed June 6, 1940,Serial No. 339,129.

' The present invention relates to a heat exchanger and moreparticularly to a recuperator comprising tubes which depend from anoverhead support'adapted to serve as a closure for the top side of aheated chamberor. flue and the object of the invention is to provideimprovements in means for supporting the tubes in a manner to permitthem tobe readily disconnected from the overhead support for inspectionand repairs- In the drawings- I Fig.1 is a plan view showing how anumber of the improved recuperator units maybe disposed side by side inspacedre'lation above a conduit for hot flue gases, one of the unitshaving a portion of its top wall broken away to expose a constructionalfeature;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2- 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarg'ed'detail plan view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2with parts in section, the sections of quadrants a and 27 being taken onlines a-,-a and 12-h, respectivelymf Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4- 4 .of Fig. 3; 1

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary perspective views of the inner and outertubes respectively shown in the'preceding views, and

Fig. '7 is a vertical cross section of a. modified form of theinvention, the view being crosswise of the air distributing box.

The improved recuperator comprises an air box l2 adapted to serve as aclosure for the top of a hot flue gas conduit H.. As shown in Fig. 1, anumber of these boxes may be arranged side by side and be connected tocommon air headers I3 and it, each box having its own air inlet andoutlet and 16, respectively.

Positioned in the conduit II to absorb heat from the hot gases flowingtherethrough are tubes l3 which depend from the air box l2, the lowerend of each tube being closed. When a plurality of boxes are arrangedside by side as shown in Fig. 1, the tubes of one box will preferably bestaggered with respect to the tubes of the next adjacent box for betterheating as will be readily understood. I'he number of tubes ll]associated with each box will depend on the sizeof the tubes and onthesize of the gas conduit H as will be readily appreciated.

The bottom wall of the air box is indicated at 23, its top wall at 2|and its side walls at 3A. The top wall 2| is detachably secured to theside walls in any preferred way topermit access to be had to theinterior of the box for reasons presently appearing. A partition wall I!divides the box into uppcr and lower compartments l8 and I9.

Extending through the partition wall I! and through the bottomof the airbox is a series of sleeves 23 through which the tubes Ill, extend out ofthe air box. As best shown in Fig. 4., each of these sleeves extendssome distance above the partition wall and is surrounded by a sealingmaterial 36 which can be poured into the upper compartment. Extendingacross the upper compartrnent between the air inlet 15 thereto and thenext adjacent sleeve-23 is a barrier wall '35 to prevent said sealingmaterialirom running out of the upper compartment by. way of said airinlet, l5. A similar barrier wall may be provided inwardly of theopposite end of said compartment for the purpose of limiting the surfacearea covered by said material. 1

At the upper end of each tube It is a circumferential flange 2'6 anddepending from this flange is a collar 25 for dipping into the sealingma terial 36. The collar may. rest on the wallll and thus also serve asa support for the tube It.

However, thetube may be otherwise supported.

'For example, the upper end 24 of the'sleeve 23 might just as wellengagevwith the underside of the-flange 26 instead of being spacedtherefrom asshown. r I Extending into the tube It] is atube 21, the

tubes being in radially spaced relation to form a flow passage 28'between their adjacent walls. Upper and lower spacer lugs 29 may beemployed for centering the tubes. At the upper end of the tube 2'! is acircumferential flange 3| and depending from this flange is a squarecollar 33 for dipping into the sealing material 35. The collar may reston the wall H and thus also serve 'as a supportfor its tube 2l.'-However, the tube the inner tube 21 is in direct communication with theupper compartment l8 of the air box whereas the upper end of the outertube I3 is not because of the hood formed by the collar 33 and flange 3!of the inner tube 2?. However, the upper endof the outer tube In is incommunication with the chamber 33 formed by the said hood and thechamber 33 is in communication with the lower compartment I!) by way ofa plurality of upright conduits 32 which extend through the partitionwall I1, it being understood that these conduits are surrounded by thesealing material 35. The primary purpose of making the collar 30 of theinnertube 21 square is to permit four large size conduits 32 to beemployed, one at each corner of the collar, rather than a greater numberof smaller conduits as would necessarily be required if the collar werecircular.

It will now be understood that the air to be heated flows into the inner"tube 2 7 from the upper compartment l8; thence upwardly in the space 28between the two tubes I and 21 to the chamber 33, and thence downwardlythroug-h'the conduits 32 into the lower cor'np'artm'ent 19.

To remove the tubes H] and 21 from the "box l2, the top cover 2| of thelatter is first removed after which the inner tube 21 is first liftedout and then the tube In. The simplicity with which the tubesmay beremoved from the 'air'bo'x is obviously of great practical importancefrom the "standpoint of repairs.

The Sealing material 3'5 is preferablylead which mayor'maynot'remainmolten.' Topermit free f'ilow' of the lea'd'on fbeingpoured'to' form the seals btwenthe wall 17 and the collars '25 and '30,

the collars maybe notched as indicated'at "41 and 42, respectively.

To protect the bottom wall 20 of the air "box against objectionableheating by the hot flue gas, a layer-of insulating material maybe'secured' t'ofthe underside of the'wallin'any'preferred way 'asfbyhanger rods 38.

Intherimdified 'form-of the invention shown 'ln' Fig. '7, 12' indicatesan air box which like the air box" is adapted to bedisposed above a hotgasflue conduit not shown but corresponding to the'conduitl lin Figsfi'land 2. The bottom wall of the box is indicated at 45, its side walls at4'6 and its top wallat 41, the latter being shown as "ifemovably securedto the boxby clamping means "#8. compartments and 50 by'a commonpartition The box is divided into 'upper and lower walll. At one end ofthe upper compartment is an-air inlet not shown'but corresponding to"theinlet 'l5'in Fig. 1 'andatone end of the lower "compartment'is anair outl'et not shown but cor- 85 and 5| are circular tr'ou'ghs52 and'53, respectively. Extending out of the box 1 2 are two concentric tubes'54 and 55, the tube 54 being closed 'at'its lower end and it beingalsounderstood that 't'he'tube 54 is externally heated by the hot flue Theupper end of the outer tube'54 has a downturned peripheral flange 56 forseating in the trough 52 and the upper end of the tube 55 has adownturned peripheral flange 51 for seating in the trough 53. Sealingmaterial in the troughs provides 'a gas tight seal between the flangesand their respective troughs. It is to be understood that the tubes aresupported in the position shown by their flanges. The air to be heatedflows 'from the upper compartment 49 downwardly through the tube 55,thence upwardly in the space 58 between the adjacent wallsof the tubesand then into the lower compartment 59. If desired an adjustable valve59 may be provided at the top end of the inner tube to control the airflow.- I

To remove the tubes from their setting the top wall 41 is removed afterwhich the inner tube 35 is'first lifted out and then the outer tube 54,

indicates the insulating material of next adjacent air boxes and 62 aninsulating brick or the like between adjacent boxes.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a supporthaving upper and lower compartments separated by a partition wall, a

first tube depending from said support, the upper 'enddf the tube beingabove said wall, a collar secured to and surrounding the upper end ofthe tube in spaced relation, a second tube depending from said supportand projecting downwardly into the first tube in spaced relation to forman air passage'between the tubes, the upper end of the inner tube beingabove the upper end of the outer tube, a collar securedto'the upper endof the inner tube and surrounding the 'collar of the outer tube inspaced relation, and means for establishing a gas connection between thelower compartment and the space encompassed by the collar of the innertube.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a pair ofupright tubes, one within the other in spaced relation to form an air.passage between the tubes, means forming a container for sealingmaterial around but out of contact with the outer tube, a collar securedto and surrounding the outer tube for dipping into said sealingmaterial, a collar secured to and surrounding the inner tube for dippinginto said sealing material, the collar of the inner tube being of a sizeto encompass the collar of the outer tube and having its top above theupper end of the outer tube whereby to form an air chamber above thesaid sealing material.

3. 'In apparatus of the class described, the combination of meansforming a box having upper and lower compartments, a first tube havingone end in the upper compartment and extending downwardly through andbeyond the lower compartment'for external heating outside of thecompartments, a second tube having one end in the upper compartment andextending downwardly into the first tube to form an air passagebetweenthe tubes, means within the upper compartment cooperating with the upperend of the inner tube and with the bottom of the upper compartment toseal off the upper end ofthe outer tube from the upper compartment, andmeans for establishing a gas connection between the lower compartmentand the upper-end of the outer tube.

4. In apparatus ofthe class described, the combination of meansforming abox having upper and lower compartments, a sleeve extending from theupper compartment through the lower compartment, a first tube having oneend in the upper compartment and extending downwardly through and beyondthe lower compartment by way of said sleeve for external heating outsideof said compartments, means in the uppercompartment forming a containerfor sealing material around but out of contact with the upper end ofsaid tube, an annular sealing flange carried by the upper end of saidtube'fc-r dipping into the sealing material in said container, a secondtube having one end in the upper compartment and extending downwardlyinto the first 'tube-tolorm an air passage between the tubes, meanscarried by the upper end of the second'tube for sealing off the upperend of the first tube from the upper compartment, and means forestablishing a flow connection between the lower compartment and theupper end of said air passage.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination which comprisesa structure adapted to overlie and bridge a heated space between twoupright walls, a first tube supported by said structure and dependingtherefrom for external heating in said space, a second tube projectingdownwardly into the first tube and having at its upper end an outwardlyextending peripheral flange by which it is detachably hung on saidstructure, the lower end of the first tube closed and said bers of whichone is in air connection with the top of the second tube and of whichthe other one is in air connection with the top of the air passagebetween the tubes so that air can be conducted from one of said chambersto the other by way of said tubes, said second tube being with drawablefrom the first tube by upward displacement, and a trough for sealingmaterial into which the rim of said flange dips, the trough surroundingthe second tube in such spaced relation as to permit the first tube tobe removed from said structure by upward displacement after the secondtube'has been removed from said structure.

GREGORY D. MANTLE.

structure comprising walls forming two air cham-

